THE BATTLE OF THE AGES OUTLINE

Terry Detwiler

THE BATTLE OF THE AGES: Be Strong In The Lord • Sermon • Submitted 4 years ago

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OVERVIEW

All Christians are engaged in warfare whether we know it or not.Is a spiritual battle (Eph 6:10-12)

Ephesians 6:10–12 NIV8410 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

Only God’s spiritual weapons will work (2 Cor 10:3-5)

2 Corinthians 10:3–5 NIV843 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Overview of THE BATTLE OF THE AGES series

Knowing Ourselves 2/21

Knowing Our Lord 2/28

Knowing Our Enemy 3/7

Knowing How To Use The Weapons God Provides 3/7-Evening

The Authority of the Believer 3/14

Exercising Vigilance 3/21

Maintaining The Victory Jesus Accomplished For Us (Review) 3/28

Knowing Ourselves 2/21/21

We are made in God’s image and after His likeness (Gen 1:26)

Made to have dominion over the earth (Gen 1:26; Psalm 8:6; Psalm 115:16)

Genesis 1:26 NIV8426 Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

Psalm 8:6 NIV846 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:

Psalm 115:16 NIV8416 The highest heavens belong to the Lord, but the earth he has given to man.

Crowned with glory and honor (Psalm 8:4-6; Heb 2:5-7)

Psalm 8:4–6 NIV844 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands; you put everything under his feet:

Hebrews 2:5–7 NIV845 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified: “What is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 7 You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor

Fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:4)

Psalm 139:4 NIV844 Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.

God’s workmanship (Eph 2:10)

Ephesians 2:10 NIV8410 For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

We consist of body, soul, and spirit (1 Thess 5:23; Heb 4:12)

1 Thessalonians 5:23 NIV8423 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 4:12 NIV8412 For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

The “New Birth”

Is a spiritual rebirth (Jn 3:1-21)

John 3:1–21 NIV841 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.” 3 In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.” 4 “How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!” 5 Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked. 10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things? 11 I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life. 16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.”

Redemption of our bodies will take place at the resurrection (Rom 8:22-23; 1 Cor 15:51-54)

Romans 8:22–23 NIV8422 We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. 23 Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.

1 Corinthians 15:51–54 NIV8451 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed— 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

Total transformation of our minds a process that ultimately will be fulfilled at the resurrection (Rom 12:2; 1 Cor 13:12; 1 Jn 3:2)

Romans 12:2 NIV842 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1 Corinthians 13:12 NIV8412 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

1 John 3:2 NIV842 Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

In meantime a struggle within us (Rom 7:15-25; Rom 8:5-6)

Romans 7:15–25 NIV8415 I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. 18 I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19 For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25 Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.

Romans 8:5–6 NIV845 Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace;

At “New Birth” Christ comes to dwell in you through the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 3:16; John 14:17; Rom 8:9; 1 Jn 4:4)

1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV8416 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

John 14:17 NIV8417 the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

At “New Birth” You go to dwell in Christ (Eph 2:6; Jn 16:33)

Ephesians 2:6 NIV846 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

John 16:33 NIV8433 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Knowing Our Lord 2/28/21

Jesus, Who is He?

Our commander in chief, the captain of our salvation (Heb 2:10)

The Lord Jesus Christ (Phil 2:9-11)

Where did He come from?

Existed with the Father and the Holy Spirit from the beginning (Jn 1:1-4; 14)

Left His place in heaven and came to earth (Jn 8:42; Phil 2:5-11)

Was part of God’s plan before the world was created (1 Peter 1:18-20)

What is His purpose?

Some of the things He came to do: (Jn 21:25)

To seek and save the lost (Lk 19:10)

To bring everlasting life to whosoever would believe on Him and to save the world (Jn 3:16-17)

to show the world what god is like (Jn 10:30; Jn 14:8-9)

To destroy the works of the devil (1 Jn 3:8)

To do good and heal all who are oppressed of the devil (Acts 10:38)

To preach the gospel to the poor, to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord (Lk 4:18-19)

To give us life and life more abundantly (Jn 10:10)

To offer His own blood as the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins (Heb 9:12)

To redeem us from the curse of the law so we could be blessed (Deut 28; Gal 3:13-14)

His present and future work in us

Transformation (1 Jn 3:2; Rom 12:2; Rom 8:29; 2 Cor 3:17-18)

Who composes God’s Army?

Innumerable angels (Rev 5:11; Heb 12:22)

Created by God before the world was formed (Psalm 148:2, 5; Job 38:4-7)

Form they may take (Heb 13:2)

Hiearchy

Seraphim, cherubim, living creatures, beasts, Is 6:2-3; Gen 3:24; Ezek 1:5-28; Ezek 10; Ex 25:18-20; Rev 4:6-9)

Archangels (Dan 8:16-17; Lk 1:26-38; Dan 10: Jude 9; Rev 12:7; Dan 12:1)

Angels (Heb 1:14)

Some of the things angels do

Instruct (Acts 10:3-8)

Deliver from danger (Acts 12:6-9; 5:19-20; Psalm 91:11-12; Psalm 34:7)

Comfort, strengthen (Mt 4:11; Lk 22:43)

Deliver messages (Lk 1:26-38; Dan 12:1)

Receive at death (Lk 16:22)

War (Rev 12:7; Matt 26:53)

Minister to God’s people (Heb 1:14)

Hearken to the voice of God’s word (Psalm 103:20)

Make announcements (Lk 2:8-15)

Active in tribulation and second coming of Christ (Matt 24, 25; Rev)

The saints (Rev 19:8, 14; Matt 16:18)

The scope and limits of Jesus’ power and sphere of influence

Name above every name (Phil 2:9-11)

All power given unto Him in heaven and in earth (Matt 28:18-20)

Seated at right hand of God (Eph 1:19-23)

Has the keys of hell and of death (Rev 1:17-18; Heb 2:14-15)

The good news for believers

Jesus’ victory is ours (1 Jn 5:4-5; Jn 14:16-17; 1 Cor 6:19-20; Eph 2:5-7)

Because he overcame, we can too (Rev 2:7, 11, 17, 26-28; Rev 3:5, 12, 21; 1 Jn 5:4)

Knowing Our Enemy 3/7/21

We are engaged in spiritual warfare (Eph 6:12; 2 Cor 10:3-4)

We wage from the vantage point of victory because of the finished work of Jesus (Col 2:15; 1 Jn 4:4; Rev 20:10)

Who is our enemy?

Names he goes by

Satan (“adversary”)

The Devil (the “accused or false slanderer”)

Various references to Satan in Scripture

A murderer and a liar (Jn 8:44)

the tempter (Matt 4:3; James 1:13)

the accuser (Rev 12:10)

Where did he come from? (Ezek 28:11-17; Isa 14:12-14)

What is he trying to accomplish? what are his goals?

He wants to take God’s place

The five “I wills” (Isa 14:13-14)

He desires the kingdom, the power, and the glory of God (2 Cor 4:4; 1 Thess 2:6-8; Rev 20:10)

He desires to stop the Gospel from spreading in the earth (2 Cor 4:4)

How does Satan operate?

Methodically and consistently according to a carefully thought out plan (Eph 6:11; 2 Tim 2:26; 1 Peter 5:8)

Through intimidation and fear (1 Pet 5:8; 2 Tim 1:7)

Through people, both believers and non-believers (Matt 16:21-23)

Through deception (Jn 8:44; Rev 12:9; 2 Cor 11:14; Matt 24:4)

Through subtlety (Gen 3:1)

Example of Satan at work (Gen 3:1-6; 1 Jn 2:16; Psa 84:11; Matt 4:1-11)

Who composes Satan’s army?

Satan’s angels (Rev 12:7-9; Eph 6:12) (Principalities, Powers, Rulers of the darkness of this world)

Origins (Rev 12:4, 9; Isa 14:12; Eze 28:17; Lk 10:18)

Where they reside (2 Peter 2:4; Jues 6; Rev 9:14; Eph 6:12; Eph 2:1-2; Dan 10:12-13; Dan 10:20)

Demons (devils, unclean spirits)

Where they reside (Matt 8:28-34; Matt 12:43-45)

People who allow Satan to use them (Gen 1:26; Psalm 115:16)

Unbelievers 2 Cor 4:4)

Believers (Matt 16:21-23; 1 Peter 5:8)

Christians’ authority over all evil spirits through Jesus (Matt 28:18; Phil 2:9-11; Col 2:10; Eph 1:18-23)

Giving place (Eph 4:27; 1 Peter 5:8; Hos 4:6; Jas 4:7)

The scope and limits of Satan’s power and sphere of influence

Confined to darkness (Jude 6; Eph 6:12)

Comparison of light and darkness (1 Jn 1:5)

Christians have been delivered from power of darkness (Col 1:12-14; Jn 16:23)

Works through the world system (Matt 4:8-9; James 4:4)

Christians not of this world (Eh 2:19; Jn 18:36; Jn 17:16)

Time restriction (Rev 20:2, 10; Rev 12:12; Matt 8:29)

Is not omnipresent

Cannot read your mind

Can only operate where he is given place (Eph 4:27; Col 2:10; Col 2:15)

Know How To Use The Weapons God Provides 3/7/21 - Evening

The Weapons of our Warfare (Eph 6:10-20; 2 Cor 10:3-4; 2 Cor 4:13)Belt of Truth (Eph 6:14; Jn 14:6; Jn 8:44)Breastplate of Righteousness (Eph 6:14; Eph 3:17; Col 1:27; 2 Cor 5:21; Isa 64:6; Rev 19:8; Heb 4:16; 1 Jn 5:14-15; Phil 4:6-7)Feet shod with Preparation of the Gospel of Peace (Eph 6:15; Rom 10:15; Rev 3:7; Psalm 37:23; 2 Tim 4:6-8; Heb 12:1-2)Shield of Faith (Eph 6:16; 1 Jn 5:4; Psalm 28:7; Eph 3:17)Helmet of Salvation (Eph 6:17; 2 Cor 10:4-5; 1 Sam 30:1-8; Eph 4:27; Phil 4:6-9; 2 Tim 1:7)Sword of the Spirit (Eph 6:17; Prov 18:21; Prov 4:20-22; Lk 6:45; Matt 4:1-11; Rev 19:14-15)We must pray (Eph 6:18; 1 Peter 5:8; 1 Cor 12:12-2)Having done all, we must stand (Eph 6:13, 14; Heb 10:23-25; 2 Cor 2:14)

The Authority Of The Believer 3/14/21

Holy Spirit is the power that backs up our authority (Eph 1:19-23)

Holy Spirit indwells believers (1 Cor 3:16; 6:19; 1 Jn 4:4)

Jesus given all authority (Phil 2:5-11)

Jesus gives to believers (Matt 28:18-20; Lk 10:17-20; Mk 16:15-18)

Authority vested in the Name of Jesus (Mk 16:17; Acts 16:16-18; Acts 3:1-16)

Authority exercised through faith (Acts 3:16; Matt 17:19-21)

Sometimes involves prayer and fasting (Matt 17:21)

Pre-requisite to exercising the authority

Submission James 4:7)

Walking in the light (Heb 12:1-4; Jn 8:12; 1 Jn 1:4-10)

Giving no place (Eph 4:27; 1 Peter 5:8-9; 1 Jn 5:18)

Exercising Vigilance 3/21/21

Some ways in which we give place to the devil (Eph 4:27)

By not being sober and vigilant (1 Peter 5:80

Through involvement in the occult (Deut 18:10-12; Lev 19:31; Rom 6:16)

We can obtain nothing through the occult we don’t already have through Jesus (Ps 84:11; 2 Pet 1:3; Jn 10:10; Jn 11:25-26; Rev 3:8; James 1:17; Jn 16:13; 1 Cor 12:1-11; Heb 6:12)